Cow Bibds.— Edgar A. Small wrote April 
5th : The Cow Birds are mating. I was 
watching them this morning in the yard. 
There were two females and one male, an 
the females flew after the majfiMid seemed p /jf/ 
to make all tlie advances. 
Cowbied. — Charles Ed. Prior, Jewett 
City, Conn., reports a Sparrow’s nest on the 
ground which contained four Sparrows 
eggs and three of the Cowbird. 
O.&O. "711. Oct. 1882. p. A>Y 
I noticed Dr. Atkins’ note concerning the 
Cowbirds’ eggs in the Wood Thrush’s 
nest, and will say that I have collected at 
least three sets of Wood Thrush with Cow- 
birds’ eggs. 
I have found CowbM’s eggs very common 
this Summer. Have twice found three of 
their eggs in nests of the Bed-eyed Vireo. 
O.&O. vm. Sept: 1883. p.?' 
idu, & (rvtrtnAob 
Never saw but one instance of^bew- laying 
>» » f **" .p./' 
T. Warwick O.st . 
Cowbird’s Eggs with Sets. 
BY .1. P. N. 
It is the custom with many collectors not to 
preserve any eggs of the Cowbird ( Molothrus 
ater) which they find in the nests of other 
birds. This is a mistake, as their eggs should 
always be kept with the set they are found 
with, and marked with the same set mark. 
The fact of their accompanying the set should 
also be noted on the data. Q,<fcO. XIII, Oct. 1888 p.158 
More C owbird K^g-s. 
Editor O. & O.: 
At various different times I have noticed in 
the columns of the O. & O. lists of the birds in 
whose nests eggs of the Cowbird have been 
found. 
I have never noticed in these lists an account 
of the Cowbird appropriating the nests of the 
Kingbird or of the Meadowlark, and if these 
; two he additions to the already known imposed 
upon birds I would like to add them, as I 
have found Cowbirds’ eggs in the nests of both. 
Neil F. Ponson. 
Q.& O. XV. Feb. 1890 p. Q/ 
Oological Notes. 
In the May number of the O. & O., while 
reading the very interesting description of 
“ A Series of Eggs of the Oven Bird,” by Mr. 
J. P. Norris, I noticed in Set XXVI, three eggs 
of the Warbler and three of the Cowbird, the 
query, “does the fact of the Cowbird laying 
its eggs in the nest prevent the real owner from 
completing her set, or does the Cowbird make 
away with the rightful owner’s eggs?” As 
far as my observation goes, the depositing of 
the Cowbird’s eggs does, in most cases, prevent 
the owner from completing her set. For 
instance, on May 29, 1886, 1 found a nest of the 
Chestnut-sided Warbler containing two eggs, 
and upon visiting the nest in the afternoon of 
the same day, I found a Cowbird had deposited 
an egg with the others. The Warbler immedi- 
ately began setting. The nest was left undis- 
turbed for three days, when, concluding no 
more eggs would be laid, I collected the set. 
Also on May 19, 1891, I found another 
Chestnut-side’s nest. She began laying May 
22 d and had deposited three eggs when a 
Cowbird also laid one in the nest. She then 
began setting, but I left the eggs until May 
28th when as no more were laid I took them. 
I could recite several other instances similar 
to the above, of various species of birds, thus 
proving that the depositing of the Cowbird’s 
eggs does prevent the real owner from 
completing her set. 
I have in my collection a set of Oven Bird’s 
eggs smaller in number than any described by 
Mr. Norris, it being a set of two without any 
Cowbird’s eggs. The nest and eggs were 
found May 31, 1884, but were left until June 
6th for a larger set, without avail. Upon 
blowing the eggs, I found that the owner had 
been setting for at least one or two days before 
I discovered the nest. It is the smallest set 1 
ever saw, the usual nest complement in 
this locailty being five eggs. They measure 
.83 x .64 and .82 x 62. 
I collected a set of six eggs of the Yellow- 
shafted Flicker, June 9, 1892, which is 
remarkable for the fact that it contains one 
runt egg that is the nearest to a spherical egg 
of any I have ever taken. It measures 
.80 x .75. The other five measure respectively, 
1 .06 x .87 ; 1.08 x. 88; 1.10x.88; 1.10x.88; 
1.16 x. 88. 
G. L. B. 
Bethel, Conn. 
O.& O Vol.17, July, 1892 p. 102-103 
Variation in the Size of Cowbirds 
Eggs. 
The variation in the size of the eggs of the 
: Cowbird ( Molothrus ater) is remarkable. The 
largest eggs in a large series before me 
I measure .98 *.72; .95 *.80, and ,94x.60: the 
smallest: ,80x.58; and . 80 x. 61. J ■ P- N. 
’(D&Oi SVI. Ap ril . 189 1, p. (oi - 
